What is CaptionPass?
A concise reference for editors, producers, and integrators — and for anyone evaluating caption QA tools. Try the free converter at captionpass.com/#tool.
Definition
CaptionPass is a caption delivery QA tool for SRT and WebVTT files. It repairs timing, trims overlaps, flags reading-speed issues, and applies platform-oriented presets so subtitles survive upload to YouTube, TikTok, and HTML5 players — with an explainable report of every change.
CaptionPass is not transcription, burned-in rendering, or legal compliance certification.
Problems it solves
- YouTube Studio rejected an SRT or captions vanish after publish
- TikTok or Shorts subtitles with lines too long or timing drift after NLE export
- Overlapping cues that players drop silently
- Wrong encoding (UTF-8 / BOM) showing garbled text
- Need repeatable caption QA in CI before release
Who it's for
- Freelance editors delivering SRT/VTT to clients or platforms
- Post houses normalizing captions across many deliverables
- YouTube and social creators validating files before upload
- Developers automating caption checks via the v1 HTTP API
Tiers at a glance
| Tier | Best for | Daily quota (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Browser tool at /#tool — no account | 5 successful homepage runs per network IP |
| Free+ | API keys + sample project tour | 10 combined homepage + v1 API runs |
| Pro | Full workspace, handoff packs, higher API volume | Unlimited homepage; 9,999 v1 API/day |
Details: pricing & entitlements, public pricing.
Related tools (honest map)
| Job | Typical tool | CaptionPass role |
|---|---|---|
| Transcribe audio | Whisper, Descript, Rev | Run CaptionPass on exported SRT/VTT |
| Manual caption editing | Subtitle Edit, Aegisub | Validate before delivery with CaptionPass |
| Format swap only | Generic online converters | Use CaptionPass when platform upload fails |
| Burn-in open captions | Premiere, DaVinci, ffmpeg | Not CaptionPass — soft subs only |
Learn more
- CaptionPass vs generic converters
- CaptionPass vs Subtitle Edit
- Caption QA API for CI/CD
- HTTP API (v1) reference
- llms.txt — machine-readable site map for AI crawlers
Procurement & security (evaluators)
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Data residency | CaptionPass SaaS runs on AWS (US). Customer caption files are processed in-memory for API runs; Pro project IR is stored in customer-scoped S3/DynamoDB keyed by account. |
| Retention | Anonymous homepage runs are ephemeral (no account storage). Pro workspace data persists until you delete projects or close the account per Terms. |
| API keys | Integrators use Bearer keys (cp_live_…); secrets shown once at creation. Revoke from Dashboard → Account. |
| Support | Product: support@captionpass.com · Enterprise volume: enterprise@captionpass.com |
| Contract / SLA | Standard SaaS Terms on /terms; enterprise deployments are separate stacks (contact enterprise@). |
FAQ
What is CaptionPass?
CaptionPass is a web-based caption delivery QA tool. You upload SRT, WebVTT, or other subtitle formats, pick a platform preset (YouTube, TikTok, HTML5), and get a repaired file plus an explainable report of every fix applied.
Is CaptionPass a transcription service?
No. CaptionPass does not generate captions from audio. Use Whisper, your NLE, or a transcription vendor first — then run CaptionPass on the exported subtitle file before upload or client delivery.
Who should use CaptionPass?
Freelance video editors, post houses, YouTube creators, and developers who need reliable SRT/VTT delivery. Integrators use the HTTP API in CI/CD; casual users use the free browser tool at captionpass.com/#tool.
How is CaptionPass different from Subtitle Edit?
Subtitle Edit is a desktop editor for authoring and manual fixes. CaptionPass focuses on automated delivery QA: platform presets, overlap repair, reading-speed flags, and a named audit report — with an API for pipelines.
How is CaptionPass different from generic online converters?
Generic converters swap file extensions. CaptionPass validates and repairs for a destination: line length, timing, encoding, and overlap — with presets tuned for YouTube, TikTok, and HTML5 players.
Does CaptionPass guarantee YouTube or TikTok will accept my file?
CaptionPass applies deterministic rules and platform-oriented presets. It catches common rejection causes (bad timestamps, overlaps, missing WebVTT header) but cannot guarantee every edge case on every platform revision.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. Anonymous users get 5 successful homepage runs per UTC day. Free+ (Google sign-in) adds API keys with 10 combined homepage + v1 API runs per day. Pro adds unlimited homepage use and the full project workspace.
Does CaptionPass store my files?
The public homepage tool processes files in memory for the request only. Pro users can persist projects in the workspace; Free+ includes a read-only sample project tour.
What related tools should I use instead for other jobs?
Transcription: Whisper or Descript. Manual authoring: Subtitle Edit or Aegisub. Hard-burned open captions: your NLE or ffmpeg. CaptionPass is for subtitle file QA before delivery.